Our Healthy First Blog

Spice Things Up Without Sodium

Mar 21, 2017

If you have kidney disease, you may have been told to limit or restrict sodium, potassium and phosphorus. While our body needs each of these to work properly, having too much in the body can be a problem. Our kidneys work to remove waste from our body. With kidney disease, your kidneys can’t remove as much waste. This can lead to problems such as high blood pressure, edema, lung congestion, uneven heartbeat, brittle bones, and even heart failure.

Not using a salt shaker can help to limit sodium in your diet. But, sometimes this makes our food taste boring and bland. Giving up salt doesn’t mean you have to give up on flavor! Fresh and dried herbs and spices are a different way to add extra flavor to meals – you won’t even miss using the salt shaker!

Below are some herbs and spices to try instead of salt. You can also mix and match spices to make combinations of flavors. Try out one of the mixes below the next time you want to reach for the salt in the kitchen.

Allspice

Basil

Chili Powder

Cumin

Curry

Dill

Garlic Powder

Ginger

Nutmeg

Paprika

Parsley

Red Pepper Flakes

Rosemary

Sage

Thyme

Turmeric

Taco Seasoning:

- ¼ cup chili powder

- ¼ cup ground cumin

- 1 T garlic powder

- 1 T onion powder

- 1 t dried oregano

- 1 t ground pepper

Seasoned Salt Seasoning:

- 2 T chili powder

- 2 T paprika

- ¼ c onion powder

- ¼ c garlic powder

- 2 T dried parsley

- 3 T black pepper

Ranch Seasoning:

- ½ t dried basil

- 2 T garlic powder

- 2 T onion powder

- ¼ cup dried parsley

- 2 T dried dillweed

- ½ t ground pepper

Italian Seasoning:

- ¼ cup dried basil

- ¼ cup dried oregano

- 2 T dried rosemary

- 2 T thyme

- 1 T garlic powder

Jerk Seasoning:

- 2 T onion powder

- 1 t ground allspice

- 1 T thyme

- ½ t cayenne powder

- ½ T cinnamon

Garam Masala Seasoning:

- 1 T ground cumin

- 2 t ground coriander

- 2 t ground cardamom

- 2 t ground pepper

- 1 t ground cinnamon

- ½ t ground cloves

- ½ t ground nutmeg

Caution!! As you look at different spices in the store, you may find something called “salt substitutes.” They seem like easy, tasty, and safe options. Be careful! Before buying one, look at the back of the container and look for the words “potassium chloride.” If it has the words “potassium chloride,” be very careful how much you use. If you use a lot of salt substitutes you might be having a lot more potassium than you thought. This makes your kidneys work harder. Try to stay away from salt substitutes made with potassium chloride.